Before you factory-reset a PS4, make a separate copy of your saves and verify it. You can copy selected saves to a USB drive without PlayStation Plus, or upload them to PlayStation Plus online storage. A full-console backup is a third option for games, captures, settings, and other data—but restoring that backup erases the console’s current contents.
Choose the right backup route
| Method | What it saves | PlayStation Plus | Network | What happens when you restore |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USB save copy | Selected game save files | Not required | Not required for copying; the PS4 must be signed in | Copies selected files to system storage; check dates before overwriting an existing save |
| Online storage | Game save files | Required | Required | Downloads selected files to system storage; check dates if a save already exists |
| Full-console backup | Selected categories of console data, including saved data, games and apps, captures, and settings | Not required | Not required to create the USB backup | Erases all data currently saved on the console, even if you cancel the restore |
For a straightforward factory reset, use USB save copies or online storage if you only need game saves. Choose a full-console backup when you also want to preserve broader console data and understand the destructive restore warning.
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Copy selected PS4 saves to a USB drive
- Connect USB storage to the PS4 and sign in.
- Open Settings > Application Saved Data Management > Saved Data in System Storage > Copy to USB Storage Device.
- Select a game, choose the save files to copy, and select Copy.
Sony’s copy instructions do not give a universal minimum capacity for save-only USB transfers, so the required space depends on the files you select.
Restore those saves later
- Connect the USB device and sign in to the PS4.
- Go to Settings > Application Saved Data Management > Saved Data on USB Storage Device > Copy to System Storage.
- Select the game and files, then copy them to system storage.
If the destination already contains the same file, compare the displayed dates and times before proceeding. Do not overwrite a newer save with an older copy.
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Back up saves to PlayStation Plus online storage
PlayStation Plus online storage is Sony’s cloud option for PS4 saves. Sony’s current support page lists a limit of 100 GB of PS4 saved data and 1,000 PS4 save files. Those are service limits, not the size or number of saves every player will have available in practice.
Upload a save manually
- Open Settings > Application Data Management > Saved Data in System Storage > Upload to Online Storage.
- Select the game and save file, then upload it.
- Before resetting, confirm that the latest save has reached online storage.
Enable automatic uploads
- Go to Settings > Power Saving Settings > Set Features Available in Rest Mode and enable Stay Connected to the Internet.
- Open Settings > Application Data Management > Auto-Upload and enable automatic uploads.
Sony identifies auto-upload as applying to the primary PS4 console. If you are unsure whether a recent save uploaded, use the manual upload route and verify it before initialization.
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Download a save after the reset
- Sign in to the PlayStation account associated with the online save.
- Go to Settings > Application Data Management > Saved Data in Online Storage > Download to System Storage.
- Select the title and save file to download.
Create a full-console backup on USB
A full backup can include more than saves: Sony lists saved data, games and apps, captures, and settings among the categories. The USB drive must use FAT32 or exFAT and have at least twice as much free space as the expected backup file. Sony does not specify one fixed drive capacity because the backup’s size varies.
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- Sync trophies separately: select Trophies on the function screen, press OPTIONS, and choose Sync Trophies With PSN. Trophies are not included in a full-console backup.
- Connect the compatible USB drive.
- Open Settings > System > Back Up and Restore > Back Up.
- Choose the categories to include, name the backup, and start it. You can omit application data if you need to reduce the space required.
- Leave the console on until the backup finishes; Sony warns not to turn it off during the process.
If you may restore this backup to a different PS4, sign in to PSN before creating it. Sony says that users who have never signed in can restore saves only to the original console.
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Understand what the reset and restore options erase
For a full initialization before transfer or disposal, Sony’s path is Settings > Initialization > Initialize PS4 > Full. Initialization deletes user data and settings. Back up anything you need first.
Restoring a full-console backup is a separate action from copying individual save files. Sony warns: “When restoring data, your PS4 console erases all data saved on your console. This can’t be undone, even if you cancel the restore operation.” Use the full restore only when you intend to replace the console’s current contents.
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Do not confuse initialization with Safe Mode’s Restore Default Settings. Sony says restoring default settings does not delete content on console storage, including saved data. Safe Mode’s Initialize PS4 and Initialize PS4 (Reinstall System Software), by contrast, delete user data.
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